The United Nations has warned of escalating public health dangers in the Gaza Strip, with infestations of rodents and disease-carrying ectoparasites reported in 83% of displacement sites assessed earlier this month.
Speaking at a UN press briefing on Wednesday, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq, citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said Gaza's civilians are facing ‘major public health risks’ on top of ongoing insecurity and repeated displacement.
Haq added that humanitarian teams have begun scaling up rodent control efforts this week, stressing that sustained access to critical equipment and supplies is urgently needed to reduce the growing health risks. He also called for humanitarian organizations responsible for solid waste management to be granted access to landfills located in areas currently restricted by Israeli forces, which OCHA says account for roughly 65% of the Gaza Strip.
He noted that access to clean water remains a daily struggle for families across Gaza, despite ongoing efforts by the UN and its humanitarian partners to provide essential water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services to hundreds of thousands of children and their families.
The warning comes as Israel continues its genocide in Gaza. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 174,000 injured since the genocide began in October 2023, with women and children accounting for most of the casualties. The ministry also says that despite the so-called ‘ceasefire’ that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, Israeli attacks have continued, resulting in at least 1,207 additional deaths and 3,914 injuries.
